U.S. OPEN

September 4, 1996

Martina Hingis

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, yeah, when she went through 3-1 and when she was leading there, so I started to think about what I have to do now because I wanted to keep the points shorter and I had to concentrate and I did it a lot more than I did before, when I was fresh -- fresh coming on the court and then she played very good first set, when I was leading 3-Love and then she came back; she almost didn't make one mistake, especially from the forehand, she hit so many winners today and then she helped me a lot in the tiebreaker, that was very good for me, but I was 3-1 down so I was a little tired of all these matches, but I am very happy about what I did today.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it is the first time that I played all three and I came in all three, the semis, so, I mean, you never -- I would never think about that I can get through all three to the semis. I never had a big Grand Slam tournament like this year at the U.S. Open, so -- well, I enjoy to play tennis, especially if I play like I did in the last week, so -- well, I have a lot of fun to play doubles, and I have great partners, so, why not?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I am young and as I say, I enjoy to play tennis, but I will think about to stay overnight here, so don't have to go back so..... (laughter).

MARTINA HINGIS: I am not the first one which did -- came to the top Grand Slam tournaments to the semis. There were a lot before me, but I mean, I had very tough last half year because I didn't play that well and for the last three weeks I practiced a lot and I feel much more comfortable, my groundstrokes and my movement, especially, and, yeah, after all these practice and I had just a great tournament.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I lost her four times already and I beat her once. It was another surface. And last time I lost in grass, in Wimbledon. I mean, I am in the semis now. I have nothing to lose against her and I did very well in this tournament so I will try my best.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it was too high, but I tried to jump, but it was too high, yeah. Well, I hit a really good volley and she just played with a half volley back. I am too small, so I was laughing about it how she played the point.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, somehow, yes. Somehow, no, because yeah, I told you before, I practiced a lot for the last three weeks, not only tennis, but I played like three hours a day, one and a half in the morning and afternoon, but I did a lot -- not on the court, especially for my movement, and that I am getting little stronger and yeah, it happens just from the practice when I am playing now. When I was in Wimbledon, I didn't play that well because I couldn't move and then, well, against Steffi, it does happen that I lost against her, but how I did lose against her there. Yeah, I have a very good tournament now and I had my chances against Arantxa before when I played her in Hilton Head on another surface, but I played well there already and I just tried -- if you play Arantxa or Novotna so you have nothing to lose; especially at my age, so I tried to play my best tennis and I did and I am very happy about how I played.